Analysis of “Trees” by Shirley Bauer

Introduction

The poem “Trees” by Shirley Bauer lists the many varied uses and benefits of trees from different perspectives. It highlights their importance for nature (birds), for children’s play, and for practical and aesthetic purposes in daily human life.

Line-by-Line Analysis

• “Trees are for birds.”
• Analysis: They provide a habitat for birds.
• “Trees are for children.”
• Analysis: They are a source of enjoyment and activity for children.
• “Trees are to make tree houses in.”
• Analysis: Children or adults build playhouses in them.
• “Trees are to swing swings on.”
• Analysis: People can hang swings from their branches.
• “Trees are for the wind to blow through.”
• Analysis: They interact with natural elements like the wind.
• “Trees are to hide behind in ‘Hide and Seek.'”
• Analysis: They are used by children as part of their games.
• “Trees are to have tea parties under.”
• Analysis: They provide a setting for social gatherings.
• “Trees are for kites to get caught in.”
• Analysis: They can also be an obstacle for activities like flying kites.
• “Trees are to make cool shade in summer.”
• Analysis: They offer protection from the sun and heat during summer.
• “Trees are to make no shade in winter.”
• Analysis: This likely refers to deciduous trees that lose their leaves, allowing sunlight to pass through in winter.
• “Trees are for apples to grow on, and pears;”
• Analysis: They are a source of food, specifically fruits.
• “Trees are to chop down and call, ‘TIMBER-R-R!'”
• Analysis: They are a source of wood or timber for human use.

• “Trees make mothers say, / ‘What a lovely picture to paint!'”
• Analysis: They are seen as beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, inspiring art.
• When she says, “What a lovely picture to paint!”, she is not seeing the tree for its practical uses (like for swings, shade, or timber) or as a chore (like the father). Instead, she sees it as a source of artistic inspiration.
• This perspective shows that trees also serve the human spirit by providing beauty and inspiring creativity, which is a different kind of “use” than all the others mentioned in the poem.

• “Trees make fathers say, / ‘What a lot of leaves to rake this fall!'”
• Analysis: They are also seen in practical terms, creating yard work (like raking leaves) in the autumn. Raking happens in autumn (which the poem calls “fall”) because that is the season when deciduous trees lose their leaves.
• The line “What a lot of leaves to rake this fall !” refers to the chore of gathering all those fallen leaves from the ground.
• The “father” represents a more practical or work-oriented perspective. He sees the tree and immediately thinks of the chore (raking) associated with it, especially in autumn (“fall”).

Conclusion

The poem concludes by contrasting two different adult perspectives on trees. Mothers are depicted as appreciating their aesthetic beauty, seeing them as a “lovely picture to paint”. Fathers, on the other hand, are shown taking a more practical view, noting the labor they create in autumn: “What a lot of leaves to rake this fall !”. This ending emphasizes that trees have many different meanings and functions depending on who is observing them.

Working with the Text

Question 1

What are the games or human activities which use trees, or in which trees also ‘participate’?

Based on the poem, the games and activities are:

• Building “tree houses”
• Swinging on “swings” hung from trees
• Playing “Hide and Seek” by hiding behind trees
• Having “tea parties” under trees
• Flying kites (which can get “caught in” trees)
• Enjoying the “cool shade” in summer
• Growing fruits like “apples” and “pears”
• Chopping trees down for timber (“TIMBER-R-R!”)
• Painting pictures of trees
• Raking the fallen leaves in autumn (“fall”)

Question 2

(i) “Trees are to make no shade in winter.” What does this mean? (Contrast this line with the line immediately before it.)

This line means that trees are useful in winter because they don’t provide shade.

The line just before it says: “Trees are to make cool shade in summer”. This is helpful because shade keeps us cool when it’s hot.

In contrast, during winter, people want the sun’s warmth. This line refers to deciduous trees, which lose their leaves in autumn. Their bare branches let the sunlight pass through, which is a good thing in the cold.

So, the poem is cleverly pointing out that trees are helpful in opposite ways during different seasons: providing cool shade in summer and allowing warm sunlight in winter.

(ii) “Trees are for apples to grow on, or pears.” Do you agree that one purpose of a tree is to have fruit on it? Or do you think this line is humorous?

The text asks for your opinion, but based on the poem, the line appears to be a straightforward statement of purpose.

The rest of the poem is a list of practical and real uses for trees (shade, swings, play, timber). Providing food, like apples and pears, is one of the most important and common purposes of a tree. It fits the pattern of the poem, which lists all the “things trees give us”. It is not intended to be humorous but rather another example of a tree’s utility.

Question 3

With the help of your partner, try to rewrite some lines in the poem, or add new ones of your own…

This question is an activity for you to do. It asks you to add your own lines to the poem, following the examples given: